Instant replay - UW vs. American

The highlights and lowlights from Wisconsin’s 75-35 victory over American University Thursday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Because we have two items posted -- notes and glance -- in addition to our game story I’ll keep this blog item on the lean side.

UW coach Bo Ryan likes freshman Nigel Hayes for many reasons.

Among them has to be Hayes’ focus. Hayes insisted afterward that when he exited the game for the final time he had no idea UW was leading by more than 30 points.

“To be totally honest, I thought the game was no more than 10 or 15 points up,” he said. “Once I came out and I looked, I thought: ‘Wow, we really are up this much?’

“But I think that’s how we’re supposed to play and that’s how we need to play to make a long run in this tournament.”

Junior guard Traevon Jackson, who hit 6 of 8 shots and finished with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists two steals and only two turnovers, was ecstatic to see UW pound American in the second half.

The Badgers several times this season have built double-digit leads only to see teams creep back into the game.

That wasn’t the case Saturday as UW outscored American, 21-3, over the first 8 minutes 54 seconds of the second half to push a 10-point lead to 28.

“That was huge because this year we’ve been trying to do that consistently and we haven’t,” Jackson said.
“I think today we focused on every single possession and that’s big going forward.”

The UW fans who took over the BMO Harris Bradley Center roared when they learned No. 11 Dayton had upset No. 6 Ohio State, 60-59, in the South Regional.

Jackson and Hayes, both natives of Ohio, insisted they were not surprised.

“I called it,” Jackson said. “I know some of those guys that play on Dayton. That is a tough loss for Ohio State, though.”

Hayes added: “During the tournament anybody can beat anybody. That’s why you have those things called upsets and Cinderella teams.”

His numbers will likely get lost in the 40-point blowout but I thought junior forward Duje Dukan was solid in his 12-minute stint.

Dukan, who had hit a combined 5 of 7 shots in the previous three games, contributed five points and three rebounds against American. He hit a three-pointer and scored off an offensive rebound.